5 April 2017

My Spring Makeup Essentials | 2017

It's not a secret that in my books the spring rolled in on the 1st of March. Once March starts, it's springtime (and no, it doesn't matter that there is snow or rain outside). Not only do we switch up our wardrobe essentials and have long tearful goodbyes with our blanket scarves, spring means it's about time to jazz up our makeup bag contents. Even though there are items in my stash that I am loving all year round, I do make a few important changes as soon as we are finished with winter. Let me show you what stays and what goes, and share my personal goof-proof picks for sunny spring makeup. Here's the hoping the sunshine is here to stay.

When I first started working on this post, I just knew I had a "few" goodies (please, laugh at me later when you see the amount of favourites) I absolutely had to mention. Then, when I started writing, it almost became a product blur. So I decided to break it down into (very logical, I hope) categories, and not only share my front-runners but also give you more ideas when it comes to nailing that flawless spring look. Even though I might not be able to recreate a perfect cut crease, I am pretty skilled at handling uninvited oiliness or choosing the right brand/kind/shade of lipstick that suits my skin tone. Let's dig in!

If you are a long-time reader, you mostly likely know that I've always been a full coverage kinda gal. Until one glorious morning when I showed up to do my wedding day makeup trial. The MUA who did it was a friend of a friend. The moment she started taking my makeup off, she asked me why I was using "this brand, at this time of the year, for my skin type". I honestly couldn't believe she was able to pick up on what product I was actually using at a time! I opted for a lighter foundation for my wedding day and it survived long hours as well as looked smashing gorgeous in the photos. You're probably thinking at this stage, 'Why is she rambling on about the foundation for so long because face isn't just about the foundation'. In my case, that's one of the key products I use on a daily basis in order to even out my skin tone and cover break-outs (if there are any at a time) and acne scarring. So let's start with the most vital product in my makeup bag.

FOUNDATION
There are many amazing heavy'ish foundations out there if you need that coverage but spring calls for lighter "second skin". If you're anything like me and have oily (with dry patches - how great!) skin that also went/going through mild adult acne, you do want medium to full coverage. But it's important to choose the one that won't just "cover". You need to avoid looking cakey at all cost. That's when my current absolute favourite NARS Sheer Glow Foundation comes in to play. I reviewed it here and mentioned it here, here and here.
Other flawless foundations (in my books) you need to check out:

CONCEALER
There is a whole separate blog post on concealers coming to Miel and Mint later on this month. Concealer is my forever struggle because I am VERY picky when it comes to them. Some crease. Some don't cover up anything at all. Other make whatever I'm trying to hide stand out. Yet, there are a few concealers I am currently loving and happy to recommend. My personal all-time favourite is Maybelline Age Rewind Eye Concealer. It never disappoints and I've repurchased it over and over again. Here are some other ones that are more than worth checking out this spring:

POWDER
About 3+ years ago I was plastering (!!!) my face with powder to set the foundation. Yes, it looked well (from afar or on the photos) but it definitely didn't do anything good for my skin making my pores even more clogged. Since then I "discovered" that a little goes a long way, and I only needed tiny bit on the tip of my fluffy brush to cover my whole face. One of the bonuses of being a blogger AND makeup lover - your knowledge is constantly expanding in this department (as well as many other ones!). My current little powder obsessions are good ol' Rimmel Stay Matte, which never fails to brighten up my under eye area, and the oh-so-magical Laura Mercier Mineral Loose Powder, which I use sparingly because it's gold. My other faves are here:

BLUSH / BRONZER / HIGHLIGHTER
I had to squeeze these guys into one category. There are just so many options out there for a perfect blush, bronzer and highlighter, and, thankfully, most of them are goof-proof (if you're a blog reader - because then you get REAL insider information). I tend not to contour in spring or summer because I prefer a more natural look. At the same time, I would never skip a touch of bronze. And I would never forget to make the glow happen. That's why, my number one picks for all your blush / bronzer / highlighter needs are Benefit Cheek Parade Paletteand Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter in Champagne (thank you, Jaclyn Hill), the queen of all highlighters. My current budget-friendly favourite is Makeup Revolution Golden Sugar 2 Palette - it's absolutely fabulous and you can't go wrong with it (reviewed here).

I know, I know, there are separate posts dedicated to ONE lipstick and here I am, trying to cram my spring favourites into one paragraph. It's not an easy task but I want to be brutally honest and share only those lip products I've been using, repurchasing and loving with a passion. I have to tell you from the get-go - I am extremely boring when it comes to lipstick because a) I don't wear blue or green shades and b) I love my nudes, pinks and reds. OK, I take it back, it's not boring one bit. Because it's impossible to beat the combo of pink, nude and red shades any time of the year, especially in spring and summer. There are a few shades and lippies I have been loving and wearing A LOT on a daily basis and on special occasions. I know for sure that they are not going anywhere and will stick around for the ride for months on. My current top three high-end ones are: MAC Velvet Teddy, MAC Whirland Charlotte Tilbury in Penelope Pink. My ultimate drugstore favourites when it comes to lip products are two brands: Rimmel and NYX.

Easy on the eyes isn't just a phrase that works when you talk about your crush. This is my motto when it comes to eye makeup in spring and summer time. I don't seem to have time in the morning for eyeshadow. I'd rather have more time for breakfast (#priorities). But when I do, I opt for a natural and easy-and-quick look. My go-to shades are always neutral/sandy/champagne'y/peach'y/smokey eye. That's why, I am head over heels for Too Faced Sweet Peach Eyeshadow Palette. Even though I haven't tried it yet, I know I would love it. Also, I never leave the house with no mascara on. It's an unspoken rule. I would rather be late or not come at all, but I must have the lashes. Drama aside, you know exactly what I mean. Mascara is a little miracle worker that opens up your eyes and makes a statement like nothing else. My ultimate HG mascara was and is my Maybelline Colossal Cat Eyes Mascara. It's in every shot of yours truly on Instagram. Up-close examples here, here and here. These eye candy products are also either living in my makeup bag or waiting to get there from my wishlist:

A good friend of mine who doesn't use makeup at all told me a little story about a week ago. She decided it was time to experiment with her brows. She went to Boots and got the products. Then she started "drawing" her brows. She said the colour was way too dark so she wasn't happy about that. Plus, she had no idea how to set them because they looked very wet and sticky. When I asked her what product she used, she replied, 'Eyeliner'. We both had a laugh but yes, these situations can happen and it's perfectly fine if you're at the stage when you have no clue what to use and how to use it. However, when it comes to brows, you've got to do 2 things: get the right shade that matches your brow colour flawlessly and get the right product that targets your brow needs. Some people have perfectly shaped brows but need a bit of filling. Other have barely-there brows that need definition. Personally, I've been using AND loving Benefit Ka-Brow!(reviewed here along with Benefit ready, set, brow! gel)and Benefit Precisely, My Brow Pencil. I've been kind of jumping between the two. Here are a few more products that have deserved to be called HG brow goodies: